The Wooden Horse
by poised-peggy
Summary: The Wooden Horse faces tragedy, but mourns and soldiers on for those lost. She is brave and strong, but she'll disclose human emotion when the need is felt. She is loyal to herself, first and foremost. Honest and blunt, she'll always be straight with you. She has a large heart, and fills it to the brim. The Wooden Horse will look death in the face, and smirk. She's had worse.
1. Vicious Reminder

_\- Present day, 2015 -_

As the door to his lonely apartment unlocked, a very tall and slender, muscular-built man stepped inside and closed it behind him.

He slipped the key into his jean pocket, slinging his jacket over his shoulder, deciding to shower and go to bed.

Suddenly he heard a creaking, like someone's weight settling on the floorboards.

 _Someone's in here_ , he thought. Strange. Even stranger because no one else had a key, and the door had been locked when he came home. _So someone either stole the spare key, or snuck in._

Steve looked to the right. He'd left the bathroom window open, and a cool, night breeze was blowing in softly.

 _Of course._

Whoever was here, they were definitely around the corner. Probably sitting in the living area, waiting to attack him. He hadn't the slightest idea as to who it could be, and why they would be after him.

Bucky was gone. Long gone. They hadn't been able to locate him for quite some time, and with his team, though they were experienced in this sort of endeavor, they hadn't had any luck.

Now, they were on some sort of relief.

He picked up his shield, which was set against the wall conveniently, and slung it on his arm.

 _Just in case._

He slowly started to creep toward the living area. He inched closer, just close enough so that he could see whoever was awaiting him without making himself known.

He took one step further, and the floorboards groaned under his weight.

 _Dammit_ , he thought.

It was best to turn the corner and show his face now. He flipped the light switch behind him. A warm glow filled the space.

Steve gulped, and prepared for the worse.

What he didn't expect to see, as he rounded the corner, was the crying ball of woman sitting on his couch.

She looked up immediately, and Steve froze. He felt like he'd taken a step back into his past. One of the only good parts about being Captain America. His hands began to shake, and he had to steady himself with the wall.

It was like a dream he'd woken up screaming to a thousand times.

The woman stared at him with a sad and gentle smile, like she'd been waiting for him. Then her expression changed, and she began to cry even harder, burying her head into her lap.

Steve could barely believe his eyes. The woman sitting here looked the same as the last time their lips had met in their last kiss. A spur of the moment thing. Sometimes he woke up feeling the sweet spark from her lips.

It took all the strength he possessed in that moment to move his mouth.

"Peggy..?" he spoke, warily.

Her head rose, and she stared at him with tears in her eyes. She looked as weak as he felt.

"I can explain, Steve," she desperately cried, a tear rolling down her cheek. "Please let me explain."

He said nothing. Yet he had so many things to say. So many questions to ask.

 _I thought you were dead. I buried you. We were at your funeral. I'd felt guilty because I never got a proper goodbye. And now you're here; alive, well, and healthy._

 _How did you get here? What happened? What's going on?_

He let it sit a moment, deciding to listen to her because he couldn't stand when she was upset, no matter the reason, so he slowly nodded as if to say 'go ahead'.

"I was cryogenically frozen in 1947," she began. "And defrosted in 2011 by S.H.I.E.L.D."

Frozen? _That would explain her appearance._

"They told me, that they'd found you. So we began to develop plans for your return."

She looked at him then, a very sad look, and he felt like he needed to hold her. But he didn't, because he was still unsure of her.

"And, I just want to apologize. For not reaching out to you as soon as I knew."

He decided to trust her.


	2. Way Back When

_\- September 1946 -_

"You've got to promise me that this is going to work, Howard."

"Would you relax? You're making the machine stress out, Peg."

Peggy rolled her eyes, something that was commonplace when in the presence of one Howard Stark.

"Besides which, everything is running smoothly. There's no need to worry. We're in the home stretch."

"How many bloody liquids do I have to be injected with before the day's end?!"

She thought a vein might pop out of her neck she was so perplexed.

"I thought I said relax."

"Surprisingly, you're not helping."

"Help me, help you, Peggy," he said. "Remember that."

Peggy set her neck back and stretched out her naked toes.

"I'm sure you'd remember a foot up your—"

"How's the experiment coming?"

Peggy's head shot up.

"Agent Reyes!" she exclaimed to the Englishman with a lovely mustache. "How good of you to drop by. Do sit," she said, patting the wheeled leather chair to her right.

Agent Reyes gave her a confused look, and gave one to the chair as well. He had a habit of this, Peggy had noted, expressing emotion outwardly to inanimate objects as if they were human. _Strange man, that Agent Reyes. Incredible soldier, however._

"It's got wheels, but it'll only move if you do, sir," spoke Howard, picking up on this behavior.

"Ah, I see," said Agent Reyes, "I've never seen anything like it before."

Howard looked at Peggy and crossed his eyes. If she'd been able to reach him, she would've walloped him nicely.

"American," said Howard.

"Yes," said Reyes. "What aren't they known for?"

"I'd rather not get into that, sir. It's a lengthy discussion," Howard retorted.

"All right," said Reyes. "Another time, then."

He gave the impression that he thought Howard was brimming to the brim with codswallop.

Which, wasn't untrue.

"How do you feel, Carter? I can't imagine those wires and needles are comfortable?" Reyes said.

Peggy looked down at her arms.

There were two needles in each arm, one in a vein just below the elbow, and one directly in her wrist vein. A filter of wires was streaming through these, connected to little patches of sticky white paper Howard had smacked onto her arms like children's stickers. They held the wires in place, the wires distributed an electromagnetic field, and the needles administered the final dosages of Steve's blood.

 _Or rather, the SSS Howard had managed to extract from Steve's blood._ _Successfully._

Peggy was being injected with the SSS in hopes of regenerating and being able to work for the new organization Howard had founded, S.H.I.E.L.D. The plan was to inject the serum, train, and enforce federal law. If Peggy was even a quarter of what Steve had been, she could save lives, too. In the meantime, with the war at its end, people needed hope. _New hope._

Peggy hoped to continue the Captain's legacy, and do just that.

"I'm quite all right, thank you," said Peggy. "It's the worm completing the procedure that is a pain to me."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Reyes. "Unfortunately, none of us know what in the hell is actually going on, so he's our best bet."

Peggy smiled.

"But of course, sir. I hope you'll find a seat soon. The last injection is to take place any moment, and then the machine can be turned on. This will complete the process," said Howard.

"Some of the recruits were planning to watch," added Peggy.

"Yes," said Reyes. "In fact, some of them have told me they were here to watch the late Captain Rogers' transformation."

He smiled sadly. "I'm sure the Captain would've loved to have been here, Carter."

"Thank you, sir," said Peggy. "I'm sure he would have."

"Right, well, I'd love to stay and watch the outcome, but I've got a meeting with the board of directors in fifteen minutes, and I have to call my wife to tell her I won't be coming home for supper."

"A lot of work left to do?" asked Peggy.

"No, she's making meatloaf," said Reyes, making a face. "I love her, I really do, but there is nothing more disgusting than meatloaf."

"Ah, come now, Agent Reyes. At some point, you're going to have to eat like an American," said Howard.

"I don't mind American food, I assure you. But there's just something about meatloaf."

"Can I just say?" started Howard. "Bangers and mash? What is that?"

Peggy glanced at Reyes, and they shared a knowing look.

"Another time, Howard. Agent Reyes has a phone call to make," said Peggy, smirking playfully.

Agent Reyes nodded to them both, and left.

Howard turned to Peggy with his hands behind him.

"What the devil is behind your back, Howard Stark?" she spat.

He took a syringe from behind his back and smiled sympathetically. She groaned.

"Last one," he said. "Promise."

Peggy glared at him, and then rolled her eyes.

"Get on with it, then."

He stuck the syringe in her arm and winced as she winced. It was like he was afraid of hurting her. She didn't think he'd intentions of ever doing that, and this was evident from the expression on his face.

"There. Done," said Howard. "The last injection. Now the procedure can begin."

When Peggy, annoyed, didn't answer, Howard smiled and tried to get her to do the same. It didn't help, though. She just felt sick to her stomach.

"You ready, kid?" he asked.

"Even if I wasn't, it's too late to do anything about it now," retorted Peggy.

"Probably."

Howard gestured to his various nurses and workmen, gathering them around the machine.

"Have the machines been turned on?" Howard asked.

"Yes, Mr. Stark," said a pretty nurse.

He turned to her, and smiled devilishly. Peggy figured he probably devoured her words, at the very fact of being called Mr. Stark. _What a dog._

"Excellent," said Howard. "We should be all good to go now, Peg. So if you'll do me a favor, and lie down again."

Peggy did so, squirming into the elongated seat.

"Comfortable?"

"Hardly."

"It'll be better, I promise," Howard said. "Afterward, it'll all be better."

Peggy smirked. "Was that Gregory Peck?"

"You like it?"

"Howard, you wise guy."

Howard smiled, and patted her foot.

"Like I said, Peg, it's going to be okay."

"I believe you."

"At least someone does."

He turned and began gesturing again, for the group of people to get ready to begin the procedure. Peggy was extremely nervous. She had no idea why, exactly. In fact, maybe she did. The last time they were here, it was for Steve's procedure. The last time they were here, Peggy was nervous. Not for herself, for Steve. She was worried something was going to go wrong, and that something would happen to him.

How she loved that skinny little man.

Peggy smiled.

"All right, here we go."

Howard began the countdown, gesturing to a nurse that was manning the machine's wheel.

"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5.."

Peggy let her mind drift for a bit, to Steve. _Bet he'd be happy to be here._ He'd be happy for her. He'd worry, just as she had, about whether she'd be okay in the end. And when it was all over, he'd come running to her with that stupid grin on his stupid face, and he'd just look at her, like he always did, and she'd blush madly.

 _God_ , Peggy thought, _who am I?_

"..4, 3, 2.."

 _All right, Peggy. Here we go. Let's do this. It's okay, everything's okay, doll. Come on, you can do it._

 __The last number was spoken in slow motion, as if Howard was saying it slowly on purpose. But he wasn't, Peggy noticed. Everything just seemed slow. It was because this didn't seem real. It didn't seem real.

"..One!"

A bright flash of light shot into Peggy's vision, and she blinked back her eyes furiously.

The light was warm, but not hot, surprisingly, and it seemed to get brighter the longer it remained on her face.

She squinted, and she could just about make out Howard's big fat head.

"Howard!" she screeched.

This wasn't going to end well, she could already tell.

"It's okay! Just keep your eyes closed, Peg! The light will burn your retinas!"

She nodded and slammed her eyes shut.

"50%!"

Her breathing became laborious, and her eyelids felt like they were being burned off from the light.

"60%!"

Peggy's eyelids fluttered. She felt faint. _No. We can do this._

"70%!"

 _Oh bloody hell!_ She gripped the sides of the machine, her knuckles turning white. She could feel her fingernails digging into the metal.

"Peggy?"

No answer.

"Shut the machine down! It's too much!"

"No, I'm fine!" Peggy yelled, her breathing strained. "Keep going!"

Howard's arms waved like a conductor's and the process began once again.

"80%!"

 _Crikey O'Reil_ —

"90%!"

"Hold on, Peg, we're almost there!"

"100%!"

 _One-hundred? One-hundred!_ She'd made it to one-hundred! _Oh God! It's okay, everything's okay, it's_ —

 __Suddenly, the light went out. Goggles came off, eyes wandered, voices whispered.

"Peggy?"

 _I just, I can't seem to_ —

Silence.

"Peggy!"

 _My legs can't move, I'm stu_ —

 _Stu-stu-stu_ —

Howard looked at his head nurse.

Nothing.

"Check her pulse," he said.

"But, sir—"

"Check her pulse!"

Just as the nurse started to walk over to the machine, there was coughing, and a lot of smoke.

"She's still alive! Get her out of there!"

The crew hurriedly tried to dismantle the machine and save Peggy. The machine was smoldering.

"She might make it, Mr. Stark," said a workman. "But the machine will not!"

Two nurses helped Peggy out of the rubbish, her arms over their shoulders, her feet dragging behind her.

"Come on!" yelled Howard. "This place is gonna blow!"

He grabbed Peggy, and carried her to the exit. The throng of people rushed behind him. The lab would blow any second.

Just as Howard's foot touched the sidewalk, it was like watching an animated timer go off in the sky .

 **Tick.**

 **Tick.**

 **Tick.**

 _Boom._


	3. Call A Truce

When Peggy was finally allowed, and able, to open her eyes, she again met the gaze of a bright light. But this time, it didn't want to burn her retinas.

It was a fluorescent light, and it was hanging from the ceiling. She was definitely in a hospital.

 _Oh, God._ She felt like she had to vomit. Peggy tried to sit up slowly, and her back ached. She winced in pain and laid back down again. She didn't think she'd be able to move much. She looked around, because she knew she wouldn't make it to the bathroom. There was a bowl lying on the bedside table. She picked it up and immediately withdrew.

She wiped her mouth and set the bowl back on the table.

She couldn't remember what had happened. Had the procedure worked? Was it successful?

Was she was a Super Soldier now?

"Howard?"

All of a sudden, she could remember the explosion. There had been a fire. The machine had started to smoke, and it quickly filled the room with a black fog. She remembered having a coughing fit because of the smoke, and people helping her out of the machine.

"Howard?"

He had picked her up, and carried her out of the building with the others. And then the building had blown to smithereens.

 _Oh, my God. What happened to everyone else?_

"Howard!"

A nurse came rushing into the room, and attached herself to Peggy's arms, forcibly pinning her down on the bed. Peggy fought her.

Another nurse came in and helped control Peggy. The other nurse took out a cloth band from her pocket, and wiped Peggy's arm with it. It was wet.

Peggy's eyes widened. Antiseptic.

 _Another bloody injection!_

Peggy squirmed and tried to wrestle away from the nurses, but one of them took out a syringe with the largest needle Peggy had ever seen and injected it into her plump arm.

The room became very dark and fuzzy, and then Peggy's vision faded out.

* * *

Now, the room was pitch black.

There was a crack of light at the bottom of the closed door, and a slip or two peeking out from the blinds in the window.

Peggy tried to sit up again, but the pain was even worse. Frustratedly, she laid back down. She looked around the room, but nothing seemed to have changed since she last remembered. Her mind wandered to Howard.

She didn't dare call for him again. Not only would he not coming running, but those two witches with short caps would trample in here and cause a scene.

Just then, her door opened, and a large, portly nurse stepped inside. She was carrying a tray, of which its contents Peggy could not identify. She sighed and gestured to Peggy.

"Turn the light on, dearest," she said. Another sigh.

Peggy saw that she was motioning to the lamp on her bedside table. Peggy moved and flipped its switch, filling the room with light. She noticed the vomit bowl was gone.

The nurse, an older woman with sparkly blue eyes, came over and placed the tray on the table. She handed Peggy a glass of orange liquid.

"Here you are, dearest. Drink up."

 _But, what is it?_

It was in that moment that Peggy realized she couldn't speak. She tried to, but it put a strain on her throat and her mouth lit on fire. She swallowed, and an unpleasant taste was left on her tongue.

"It's all right, dearest. It's just juice," said the nurse.

She handed her a cookie wrapped in plastic.

"Eat this while you drink. It'll bring your blood sugar right up. You can't take your medication on an empty stomach." She opened a plastic package of pills sitting on the tray.

Peggy frowned. Medication?

 _Crikey O'Reilly._

Peggy chewed silently and grumpily. She tried not to be a pain for this woman, who was obviously tired and annoyed, but she was still so unaware of what was going on with her body. She hated not to be in control, especially of herself.

The nurse packed up the tray. Then she gestured for Peggy's hand. A sigh.

"Your medication, dearest."

Peggy held up her hand, dusting off cookie crumbs, and opened her palm.

The nurse dropped down two rectangular, oatmeal-colored pills.

"Now, I'm trusting you to take these on your own. And I do mean take them," she said. "I've got a few bedpans to wash out, and a few gents to tuck in, you understand? Whether you take these or not is up to you, but you won't feel any better if you don't."

Peggy nodded. The nurse picked up the tray and started to walk away, but not before she sighed once more and said, "Try not to escape again, hmm?"

If Peggy had been able to, she would've argued that the nurses were the ones who started the skirmish, but she couldn't.

The nurse left and closed the door, leaving Peggy by her lonesome.

She flicked cookie crumbs off her bedspread, and swallowed the pills with the rest of her juice. She looked around the room again. There weren't any books or magazines. She checked the drawers of the bedside table. No playing cards, or dice.

There were two windows, a bed, a chair by the bed, a bedside table, a lamp, and a door.

And Peggy, with her empty juice glass and confused gestures replacive of words.

* * *

The next day, after lunch, Howard came into her room.

She could sit up in bed, but still couldn't get out without assistance (the pain has increasingly lessened within one night, probably thanks to that nurse with her pills), and she could talk just fine.

Now, she was lounging up in bed, reading a magazine. A sweet red-haired nurse had brought a couple to her from the waiting room, figuring she was bored stiff.

 _And boring a hole in her head from her thoughts_ , thought Peggy.

She didn't acknowledge him when he sauntered in. She was still mad at him for not coming to see her.

Not that he noticed this, because he was catching the eye of every nurse as he walked in. She wouldn't be surprised if there was a flock of them in her room by supper. They were like seagulls.

"How you feeling?" he asked her.

Peggy looked up from her magazine.

"I like your tie," she said, and looked back down.

It was navy blue with green stripes stitched diagonally. Howard sighed, and sat in the chair next to her bed.

"Look, Peg, I'm sorry. I didn't mean not to visit you as soon as you woke up."

"Really, Howard, it's fine," she griped. "I would have preferred if I knew what in the devil was going on when I found out where I was. A hospital? Have you any idea what kind of things the mind wanders to?"

"Yes, Peggy, and I—"

"I thought you were dead!" she screeched.

"I know, doll, but—"

"The building blew up, Howard! It exploded!"

"It's okay, Peggy."

"Is it?"

"Yes!"

"Are you okay? Did you suffer any injuries?"

"No. A few scrapes and bruises, but nothing serious."

"And the others?"

"Everyone survived," he said. "Some scratches, a few burn marks. Smoke inhalation. Minor, fixable things."

Peggy nodded, but said nothing. She bet that he might think she'd lay off him now. The rant was over.

But she couldn't bloody well let it go.

"The goddamn building exploded, Howard," she whispered. "Because of me! You realize that, don't you? Stubborn arse. I pushed myself, Howard. I pushed myself. Who the hell knows if it actually even worked?"

Howard sighed, and smacked his palm onto his face.

He sighed again. If Peggy heard another sigh from either him or that nurse, she might go on a rampage with her lunch fork that was conveniently sitting on the tray on her bedside table.

"What?" she said. "What is it? What aren't you telling me?"

"It did work, Peg."

"Did it?" she said, sarcastically. "Seeing as how I can't even get out of bed, I'm going to have to disagree with you there, guy."

Howard nodded. He looked at her, and she knew. _What is he hiding?_

"Howard! Tell me!"

"It did work.."

"Because?"

"Because of your coma."

It took Peggy a moment.

"My _what_?"

"Your coma," he repeated. He took a while before he continued.

"Peggy, when I said I was sorry I hadn't come to see you when you'd woken up, it wasn't because you were waking up from a nap, or had passed out after the explosion and had just woken up."

"Howard.."

Tears sprung up in her eyes, stinging, wet.

"Peggy, you've been comatose for a year."

He knew she wouldn't respond.

"It's been a year since the explosion, a year since the procedure."

"So how do you know it worked?" she finally said, her voice faltering.

"The serum is what preserved your condition. Although just a year has passed, your body hasn't been put through your normal wear and tear. It regenerated itself," he said.

"As if I've been born again?"

"Yes," he said.

"Howard, I..I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, sweets. Don't worry about it," he said, waving his hand away dismissively. "Do you have any more questions?"

"Several."

"Go ahead."

"What have I missed?"

Howard smiled. "War's over."

"It's been over, you buffoon!"

"That's exactly it, Peg. You haven't missed much, you've missed hardly anything at all."

"Okay," she said. She looked at the front page of her magazine. December, 1947. "Howard! It's been more than a year!"

"So a year and a couple months? It's not that big of a deal, trust me."

"Trusting you got me into this mess."

"Look, I know I'm not the most reliable person ever.."

"Or the most honest.."

"But I had good intentions when we started this. And it was successful, you have to give me that. The procedure went off without a hitch, you're healthy. It's going to be all right."

"I just have one more question."

"Shoot."

"How do I look?" she asked. "If my body's regenerated itself, will I look different?"

He stood, and held out his arms.

"Do you want to see?"

She nodded. He took off the covers of the bed, and she swung her legs to its edge. She put her arms on his and steadied herself.

"Feet on the floor in three, two.."

"One."

Peggy set both feet down at the same time, and she instantly felt like she wouldn't be able to hold her own weight. She almost stumbled and fell, but Howard caught her and together, they eased over to the bathroom mirror.

It was the first time Peggy actually had looked at herself in a long time, regardless of the coma. She had always been so busy. She either did her hair the night before (pin curls) and brushed it out in the morning, or pulled it out of her face on the way out the door. Her makeup was simple. Mascara, maybe eyeliner if she'd the time, lipstick. Her nails were always painted no matter what. In all those years, during and after the war, she had always been busy, and never took time for little, self things, like looking in a goddamn mirror.

Now, she hardly recognized herself. Her hair was a tangled, brown mop of a mess. She wore no makeup. Her nail polish was spotty.

She just _knew_ her breath stunk.

She felt ridiculous, and she felt like Howard knew she felt that way.

But he looked at her, and smiled.

"Chin up, kid."

"Which one?" she asked.

"Would you cut it out?"

"All they've been feeding me is juice, cookies, and mashed potatoes, what did you expect?"

"Peggy, look."

"That tie completely washes you out in this lighting. I was sorely mistaken. I apologize."

"Goddamnit, Peg, would you look at you? Please?"

"Yes. I'm looking."

She did look, she tried.

"You were in a radioactive explosion! Peggy, look at your skin. It's glowing, it's luminous. It's healthy. It's like new."

"Yes, we've established this. I'm a newborn babe with a 30 year old's drinking problem."

"Peggy."

"Yes?"

"My point is, you are okay. The procedure worked, you've got Super Soldier blood in your veins, and you're beautiful."

She looked at him. Howard Stark, just said that.

 _God, this is such a weird fucking dream._


	4. Just One Regret

Peggy looked at Steve, and then looked away.

"What's your biggest regret in life, Steve?" she said and sniffed, fingering the records laid out next to the record player.

"You already know the answer to that."

She looked up. "Do I?"

"Yes."

"Will you tell me anyway?"

He could feel stinging heat rise to his cheeks. His eyes were watery. He didn't know whether to be mad at her, or sit down and talk with her.

"Why?"

"I need to hear it."

"What good'll that do?"

"It'll make me feel like there's something left living for in this world. In this time."

"You think we've had our time?"

"We never got to."

He paused before saying his next words, because he knew they would bite. He didn't really want to hurt her, but he was so confused, and she didn't seem to want to enlighten him.

"What if we were never supposed to?"

She drew back, a pretentious look on her face.

"What?"

"Think about it, for a second. We never really got our chance. What if there's a reason for that? What if we were never meant to?"

"You think it's over?"

"How can it be over if it never started?"

"Steve.."

"I mean, look where we are! What we've been through. You're telling me, now, now's our chance?" he asked.

"It could be."

"No," he said, "I don't think we ever had one."

"You don't mean that," she spit. "You're just upset."

"What if I do?"

"If you do, you should be blaming yourself for thinking that way."

"I think you're just as much to blame as I am."

"You make it sound like I don't care about you."

"I know you do."

"Then why are you saying these things?" she exclaimed. "Steve..have you ever, before this moment, thought that I didn't care for you?"

"I've always known you care about me."

"Then why are you being an asshole?" she asked. She stood up, fists balled.

"Peggy—"

"I mean, for God's sakes! You're the one who crashed that goddamn plane into the Atlantic! You're the one who sacrificed himself for everything! You're the one that..that.."

"That what?" he yelled.

"Nevermind," she spat. "I won't be that ruthless to you."

"Say it!"

"You're the one that took away our chance!"

Steve didn't know why, but he was stunned. It was exactly what he'd thought to himself for many years, but he'd never dared to say it aloud.

"You blame me for this!" she yelled, tears rolling down her face. "I didn't want to tell you like this! I knew you'd be upset! How could I have deceived you like this? That's what you're thinking, isn't it?"

"I didn't even want to bring that up!" he screamed. "Seeing as you're perfectly healthy and not lying in the casket I thought I saw you buried in, I thought I'd give you a minute to explain! Peg, for so long I wanted to be with you, and I still want to be with you. But I can't now that I know what you've done."

She smirked, and nodded, wiping her tears away.

"Do you want me to tell you the truth?"

"Shit!" he said. "What have I got left to lose?"

She didn't say anything at first. She just looked at him, very seriously, as if she was thinking about how to word her response. She was always known for being tactical.

"Everything," she said. "And that might not seem like much to you, but you wouldn't believe what it'll cost you."

"Please," he said. "Enlighten me."

"I don't think I should," she said, walking past him. She was so pissed off she could spit acid.

He walked after her as she headed for the door. He got there before her and positioned himself in front of it.

"You're not going anywhere until I get an explanation."

"Do you really need one?" she asked angrily. "You seem to have all the fucking answers."

"Look, you said there was a reason for your actions, and I'm willing to listen."

She crossed her arms. Oh, she was so pissed. She could spit in his eye right now and get away, it would be so simple. But it was Steve, her Steve. As angry as she was, she had to admit he'd a right for feeling like he'd been deceived. She'd never forgive him for saying they never had a chance, however. That was something they'd just have to get past.

"There's much to tell, little boy," she said. "Sit down."


	5. A Knife And A Spoon

When Howard left that day, Peggy found a book in the bottom drawer of her bedside table. She was so excited, she almost fell getting back into bed with it. Howard had helped her to bed before he'd gone, and he had kissed her on the cheek.

"I'll be back to have supper with you," he'd said. "Call me if you need me."

She said that she would, but she hadn't any intentions of doing so. In her mind, she was getting out of there tomorrow. Even if she had to "escape again".

The book was green, with gold lettering and a gold border. When she flipped it over and read its title, 'The Hopkins Story', she realized it was her book. A book she had been reading during the war.

 _Wait. This was the—_

Peggy opened the book, and out stumbled a faded, browning piece of paper. It was folded over three times, and its corners were ribbed. She looked around, why she didn't know because her bloody door was closed, (if this was what she thought it was, it was for her eyes only), and opened it.

 _October, 1942_

 _Do you ever feel like you want to run away? It doesn't matter really where, as long as you can get out. The war is such a downer, isn't it? I think about all of the men and women, and what they've seen. It must be, by the death count, twice or three times worse than the Great War. But don't tell anyone I said that. I can't imagine. I try not to think about it, to be truthful. I'm sorry I'm being so negative. It's hard to think about the good's that to come if we can win. I think we will. I'm willing to bet we'll pull it out in the end. America always does. I hope your travels are safe, and that you keep warm for the next few months. The winter is supposed to be deadly, I've heard. Keep in touch, and I'll write again as soon as I'm able. Don't be too cross if I don't._

 _Yours, Steve_

Peggy froze.

 _This was the letter._

Steve had written her this letter, four years ago. _No, five, actually_ , she corrected herself. They had started a letter chain earlier that year, in 1942, and had kept up with it when they were separated; she in London, he in Germany. Come to think of it, she remembered the occasion after which she'd gotten this letter. When they'd been reunited.

 _When the sky had finally cleared, and a sliver of sun peeked out from behind the clouds, they were able to get started. Steve would lead the mission, as per usual, and the Howling Commandos would be right behind him. Now, they were just waiting for one person._

" _Don't forget your overcoats, soldiers," spat the ever-present Agent Carter, as she applied a coat of maroon lipstick. "It's going to be a cold one."_

 _Steve smiled sheepishly, passing by her._

" _Agent Carter," he said, nodding._

" _Captain Rogers," she replied, smiling._

 _The men were all packed up and raring to go, when Bucky suddenly stumbled out from his tent, taking it with him. The entire contraption toppled on him, as he fell, face down in the snow. Steve's hand rose to his forehead and he rested it there embarrassedly as if to say, "Oh, brother"._

 _Agent Carter shook her head disapprovingly, but it was only to keep the smile from spreading across her face. Steve looked at her and smiled and she returned it enthusiastically._

" _Buck, you ok?" Steve asked, walking over to him._

 _Peggy followed him._

 _Bucky slowly climbed out from under the tent, crawling on his hands and knees, and he chucked a bottle of Dugan's 'special ale' into the white._

 _Recognizing the brown jug, Peggy's head snapped back._

" _Dugan! You bloody swigger!"_

 _Steve shot a sympathetic look in Dugan's direction._

" _I didn't give it to 'im, Peg, I swear," said Dugan._

 _She brushed him off. "Yeah, right!"_

" _You have a rough night, Buck?" Steve joked. He didn't answer. "Buck?"_

 _All of a sudden, a loud snore resonated from the snow. Peggy's eyes widened in annoyed disbelief. Steve lifted the tent, and sure enough, Bucky was knocked out._

" _You've got to be kidding me," said Peggy._

" _Damn it," Steve said, letting the tent go. "We won't have time to get him up and moving again. We'll have to go without him."_

" _Then let's blast," resolved Peggy, "It's going to start again soon, and we can't get caught up in a blizzard. I'll be your sharpshooter."_

 _Just as they were about to go, Phillips hobbled out of the colonel's tent and threw a dossier at Steve, and another one at Peggy._

" _Coordinates and minutiae," he called. "There's a factory. It take precedence over your current mission."_

" _Fine, sir," said Steve._

" _We'll swing back around later," Peggy said._

 _Steve nodded, securing his shield on his back._

 _They headed out, taking a jeep to the hangar. Howard volunteered to get them to the factory. His plane was still beat up from their last outing. There were bullet holes everywhere. The air was insanely cold, and it kept whipping in and out of the openings._

 _Everyone was quiet and serious. No one joked or taunted each other like they usually did on missions, no one even spoke. Peggy could tell there was an upset in the air, and she licked her lips before catching Steve's eye, as he was sitting directly across from her, and tried to start some sort of conversation._

" _Chilly out there today, hmm?" she said._

 _He took a while to answer. There was a moment when he just silently looked at her._

" _It's going to storm, soon," he said, "I hope we can get out before it hits."_

" _We'll manage," replied Peggy curtly, giving him a strange look._

 _He didn't seem to be up for talking. She thought he'd probably want to keep to himself today, he restrained with everything he did._

 _But that didn't mean that she had to._

" _Gentlemen," Peggy said just then, looking to the five men sitting in the far corner with their legs sprawled out, holding their machine guns like newborn babes._

" _You want to play cards, Carter?" asked Dugan with a cigar sticking out of his mouth._

" _We've decided to start a quick game," added Falsworth, shuffling a deck of cards._

 _Peggy grinned. "Before the drop?" she gasped lightly._

 _Steve looked from her to them with a confused expression._

" _It'll just be a quickie," said Morita, "even quicker if you play."_

" _Now, what is that supposed to mean?" Peggy asked, flinging her arm behind her and resting it on the seat smugly._

 _The tiny coryphées in her pupils danced a mad jig, Steve noticed._

" _It means you'll have won before the game's started," Gabe explained._

 _Peggy smiled and winked at them. "You boys are too much!"_

" _Don't let those compliments get to your head, now, Peggy," said Dugan. "I bet I could win if I really tried. Half the time I cheat, anyhow, and I still lose."_

" _Dugan!" Peggy and Falsworth said in unison._

" _You devil!" cried Morita._

" _Fils de pute!" Dernier whispered under his breath._

" _What was that, Frenchie?" growled Dugan. "Just because we don't speak the same language doesn't mean I can't hear your little rat breath!"_

" _Cool down, Dugan," Gabe said, "all he said was that you were a lousy cheat."_

 _Dugan smirked, skeptical._

" _Oh, all right," he said. "Carter, you playing or not?"_

" _Coming!" said Peggy, jumping from her seat. "Be prepared to be walloped back to your home country!"_

 _Steve smiled._

 _Peggy took a seat next to Falsworth, and they exchanged cards. Dugan was sitting next to Morita, who was sitting next to Dernier. Gabe sat on the floor._

 _And all of a sudden, Steve wished Bucky was there. Not just so he'd have someone he'd known for a while to talk to, but because Bucky would get Steve to open up and participate. Despite the Super Soldier serum, Steve Rogers wasn't Captain America when it came to socialization._

 _Normally, Peggy could bring him out of his shell, too. But she seemed a little off today. He felt that way too, though. Maybe she had noticed something in him, and had decided to back off. She was good at letting him have his space when he needed it. She didn't expect him to adhere to everything like everyone else did. Because to her, he wasn't just Captain America._

 _Every time she looked at him, she saw Skinny Steve. It was obvious to him, and he admired it about her. That she could take one look at him and ignore the bright colors and the stripes. She could ignore the music that usually followed him, and the bright lights. To Peggy, Captain America wasn't an icon, or a symbol. To her, Captain America was a skinny little kid who was always getting into fights he knew he was inevitably going to lose. And the stupid courage and kind heart that came along with the package._

" _Steve," Peggy said suddenly, startling him. He locked eyes with her._

" _Do you want to play?" she asked tenderly._

 _He shrugged. "What are you playing?"_

" _War," said Peggy. "Fitting, isn't it?"_

 _She grinned and he grinned and she patted the spot next to her._

" _I thought War was only for two players," Steve said, after Peggy handed him a few cards._

" _We play it differently," said Dugan._

" _It'll be difficult because there are seven of us," said Falsworth, "unless Stark wants to play?"_

" _Yeah, let me just park this thing and I'll be back there in a jiff," said Howard, chuckling._

 _Steve laughed with the others. Peggy smiled at him and he smiled back, but then it faded away. Maybe it would be better if he just—_

" _I don't have to play," he said. "There are six of you, four sets of two, it's already even."_

" _Don't be ridiculous!" Peggy exclaimed._

" _Come on, Cap, we don't bite," said Morita._

 _Dugan glared at him. "Speak for yourself, dog tags!" he shouted. "If someone tries to cheat me, I'll sure as hell bite them!"_

" _Then you should be biting yourself, you old windbag!" yelled Falsworth._

 _That got them going._

" _All right, all right!" boomed Peggy, standing up. "That is enough, gentlemen. Either play nicely or do not play at all. We're on the same side, remember?"_

" _Carter, why don't you take Rogers over there and teach him how we play? And the rest of us will try to start a game."_

" _Think you all can get along with me?" she teased._

" _Oh, we'll think of something."_

 _She picked up her cards in a handful and gestured for Steve to come with her._

 _She shot Dugan a look. "And don't be surprised if you're slipped some of your own 'special ale' tonight and can't walk straight tomorrow morning, Dum Dum."_

 _He rolled his eyes but you could still see the fear in them._

" _You're not so innocent, Carter," he shot back._

" _I have no idea what you're talking about, I'm the Virgin Mary." Everyone chuckled._

 _Steve followed Peggy, and she sat and pointed with a perfectly red-lacquered nail to the seat next to hers._

" _Come on, soldier," she said. "I won't bite you, I promise."_

 _He smiled and sat._

" _You've played before, right?" she asked him. "So you know the basics?"_

" _Yes, ma'am."_

" _Right, so our version is different because it does not include odd numbers," she said, taking each odd-numbered card out of their deck._

" _All right, so no 9, 7, 5, or 3."_

" _Yes, and while that may not seem like such a big deal, I assure you it is."_

" _Show me," he said._

 _She smiled. "We'll play a sample game," she said._

" _How many cards do we each get?"_

" _It's different because we'd normally play with the entire deck, so with just the two of us, it's ten cards each. Sound all right?"_

" _Yes, ma'am."_

" _Pick your card," she said._

 _Steve did as he was told._

" _Ready?"_

 _He nodded._

" _Go!"_

 _They both placed down their cards. Peggy had a 2, Steve had an Ace._

" _You've won," she said, smirking a little._

" _Don't worry, it's the only one I'll win," he said._

 _She laughed and he did, too._

 _They played for several more minutes, until their cards were gone. Peggy did win. They never once laid down the same valued card, so needless to say it was a rather boring game of War. Very much unlike the war going on outside, Steve thought as he looked out the plane window._

 _Peggy glanced at Steve, and gently touched him on the arm._

" _Are you all right?" she asked._

" _I will be," he said, his voice faltering._

" _Assuredly when we're done, aye?"_

" _Yes," he whispered, and he almost cracked a smile because she knew him all too well._

" _I received your letter," she said._

" _Did you?" That put a smile on his face._

" _You know you're always worrying about other people before you worry about yourself?"_

" _I've heard that once or twice."_

" _It's true," she said. "You're so selfless, it's irritating."_

 _He laughed. "What?"_

" _I just mean that you've got to be a selfish sometimes, you know?" she said. "I mean, there's a war going on, and selfishness is the last thing anyone needs to be right now. But everyone needs it, at least once. One, good, selfish act."_

" _That is like the opposite of what I was taught growing up."_

" _You don't have to change your lifestyle," she said. "You just need to do something for you. Just once. Do something just for Steve." She grinned. "It doesn't benefit anyone but Steve, and that's all right, because that's all it has to do."_

" _Okay. I could do that."_

" _Would you?"_

" _Only because you asked."_

 _She smiled. "I will write you back, you know," she said, referring to his letter._

" _You better," he said. "I'd hate to waste stamps."_

" _No, no," she replied. "Nothing's a waste."_

 _He didn't respond, and he looked out the window again._

" _You're sure you're all right?" she asked him again._

" _If I say yes, you probably won't believe me, right?"_

" _No need to worry, Captain," she said. "You won't be alone. In anything that you do, really."_

" _How's that?" he whispered._

" _Well, for one thing, you'll always have those idiots following you around."_

 _She motioned to the back of the plane._

 _He smiled at this and she joined him. Then she looked back at him and took his hand, holding it to her chest, specifically her heart._

" _And you'll always have me," she said. "Even if you're not sure you do."_

 _Steve grinned at her sheepishly and she laughed real hard, embarrassing him._

" _Quit being so down in the dumps!" she said, smacking him._

 _He really laughed, and smiled and just looked at Peggy. In one moment, he almost reached out and touched her. He wanted to make her feel like she made him feel, like he hoped he made her feel; warm, safe, secure. Like he'd always be there for her. But as he started to lift his hand, Dugan began jumping around, trying to slip his parachute on._

 _He pointed out the window._

" _There, Stark! Damnit, you're gonna miss it!" he yelled._

 _Peggy and Steve both scrambled to get their chutes on with the others, realizing it was time to jump and that they weren't actually on relief._

 _They all lined up single file by the door. "I'm getting you guys as close as I can!" yelled Howard._

" _It's going to a great night's sleep tonight," said Steve._

" _Yes, but before that, I think I'll need a drink!" yelled Falsworth._

" _Me too!" said Peggy._

" _Pub after?" yelled Morita._

" _Yes, let's plan for that! I desperately need a drink. It doesn't matter what it is, really, so long as it gets me nice and fractured."_

 _Falsworth laughed, and so did Gabe and Morita._

" _What do you say, Timothy, you up for it?" Peggy asked Dugan. "We could make it a competition!"_

" _Watch it, Margaret," Dugan lilted, smiling. "You kick my ass in cards, and now you want to have a drinking contest? Name the time and place, and I'll be there!"_

" _Don't snap your cap, there, Dugan. And a word of advice, watch that big head of yours! Make sure you pull your chute at the right moment or you'll nose dive!"_

 _Steve chuckled._

" _Dépêchez-vous, allons!" yelled Dernier._

" _I agree!" said Gabe. "We've got to get going!"_

 _Peggy let everyone go first before her, giving Dugan a little smirk before he jumped. She and Steve were left alone, save for Howard, who warned them about jumping before it was too late._

" _What do you think, Captain Rogers?" she asked him, screaming over the wind, just as she was about to jump. It had started to snow._

" _What's that, Agent Carter?"_

" _You think you could buy a lady a drink tonight?"_

" _I just might oblige. Who is this lady?"_

" _Well, she's quite a catch! She's got a great smile, nice hair. She always looks her best, too, no matter what. She's awfully swift to talk to."_

" _Anything that isn't good about this girl? She sounds brilliant."_

" _If you're not careful, by the end of the night, you'll be smitten with her and lying at her feet."_

" _Well, I can't say I'm not intrigued."_

" _How about I introduce her to you?"_

" _Sounds wonderful. Can she dance, do you know?"_

" _Of course she can dance! She's a ducky shincracker if I've ever seen one!"_

 _Steve smiled._

" _Do you think she could teach me? Like she's promised?"_

" _I think she'd like that very much. Besides which, you can't be that much of a dead hoofer, can you? Surely not. Never mind, she'll lead and show you what she knows. Like with cards."_

 _Peggy smirked before jumping._

 _Steve followed after her, smiling the whole way down._

 _The Commandos pulled their chutes and landed in the tree tops of the woods outside of the factory. The enclosure was secured with a large, tall metal fence and surrounded by Hydra soldiers with big guns that would shoot blue sparks._

"Time to wash up, dearest."

Peggy looked up from the letter. "What?"

A sigh. "It's 6. Time to wash up, before supper."

It was the nurse. The one who had given her her pills the night before.

"Oh, yes. Sorry," said Peggy, taking off her bed covers. She placed the letter back in the book and put the book back in her bedside table drawer. She slammed it shut, but she hadn't meant to. The nurse came over with her robe.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, I think so."

Peggy knew she wasn't. There were tears on her cheeks. She had reread that letter so many times, a few years ago, and now she had reread it at least twenty times.

Replaying that memory over and over again. Of Steve on the plane with her, playing War. She hadn't meant to cry, but it was the only thing she felt physically strong enough to do.

The nurse helped Peggy to her feet and helped her undress. She helped her into her robe and guided her to the bathroom.

"Come on, now, love," whispered the nurse, tenderly. "Let's wash up."

Peggy felt like she needed to wash _away._

* * *

The nurse, (whose name was Matilda), helped Peggy into a fresh pair of pyjamas and back into bed. Peggy was thinking of having supper in the cafeteria, but Matilda thought it best for her to stay in bed with a tray.

Peggy thought Matilda knew she didn't feel good.

"My friend, Howard Stark, was supposed to come back for supper," said Peggy, as Matilda helped her into bed.

"Yes, dearest. He's in the waiting room."

"The waiting room? What ever for?"

"I asked him to sit and wait until we got you cleaned up and changed," said Matilda. "It's inappropriate for a man to wait in an unmarried woman's room when she's not dressed."

"Yes," replied Peggy. "I hadn't thought of that. Thank you."

"No need to thank me, love," Matilda said.

Peggy snuggled into the bed, and Matilda pulled the covers up. She tucked her in, militarily.

"There," she said. "Snug as a bug in a rug."

"My mother used to say that," said Peggy.

"Mine, too," Matilda said. "And I used to say it every night to my own children. Now, they probably say it to my grandchildren."

"What a lucky woman you are."

"Yes," Matilda said, smiling. "I am truly blessed." She folded her hands in front of her uniform, and it was in that moment that Peggy realized she hadn't noticed Matilda's wedding ring.

"I'll be back with your supper in a few minutes, and I'll bring a tray for Mr. Stark, too," she said.

She backed away and headed for the door.

"Matilda, please wait!" said Peggy.

"Yes?"

"Do you think it indelicate of me to eat in my pyjamas with Mr. Stark?"

"Unless you're uncomfortable, no. And I'm sure Mr. Stark won't mind. He's been talking about you all day. You really gave him a scare."

"If I had thought about it, I would've had my brain tell my body not to go into a coma."

Matilda smiled. "I'd ask mine not to age."

Peggy returned her smile, and Matilda left the room.

* * *

"I've never seen so many legs in all my God given life!" exclaimed Howard. "They're like priceless gems; emeralds, rubies!"

Peggy rolled her eyes. Howard was recalling his experience at the club the night prior. With every riveting detail, Peggy was becoming more and more apt to staying put in the hospital. The post-coma world hadn't seemed all that different to her. But, apparently, it was quite a riot.

"I'm telling you, Peg, it's the perfect night to go out."

Peggy nodded along, but she was holding a spoon in one hand and a knife in the other, trying to figure out which would be better to choke on and die the fastest; the Jell-O or the steak.

She calculated Howard could get into an entirely different story, and finish his meal, which he shoveled into his mouth in between every other word, before he'd noticed.

By then, she'd have hailed all her Marys, and thanked God for what had been good in this life.

She made a list in her head. _Steve, Dad, Mum, all four brothers, Howard..?_

She looked over at him. He smiled.

He had helped her an awful lot. He's the reason she's alive.

"What do you say, dolly?"

"I say no way."

"What do you mean?" He frowned. "It doesn't have to be an occasion or anything, really. Just go out and have some harmless fun. We can even leave early."

"How early?"

"As early as you'd like."

"8?"

"The club opens at 7:30, Peg."

"So? Half an hour of dancing? A drink. Maybe two. What'll it hurt, right?"

"That's the spirit! Glad I could talk you into it."

"I'm not going, I was suggesting you go."

"What?"

"I'm serious, Howard. Find a nice girl, offer to take her dancing, buy her dinner, buy her a drink, dance with her, take her home," she said, waving her hands. "You know the jist!"

"Peggy, I wanted to take you."

"And I'm very flattered, but I'm bedridden."

"No, you're not. I had it cleared with your doctor."

"My _doctor_?" she spat. "You've been speaking to my doctor? The doctor who has not as much as even come to see me? To meet me, even?"

"Yes. That's the guy."

Peggy rolled her eyes.

"So you'll go?"

"Absolutely not!"

"But, Peggy—"

"Howard, dear Howard, it isn't because I don't love you with all my heart, because I do, but I don't think I'm ready."

"You're not ready. Oh God, why would you be? How could I have forgotten?"

"It's all right."

"No, it's not. How rude of me to ask, even more so to assume. I'm sorry, Peg."

"Really, Howard, it's fine."

"Let me make it up to you?"

"Howard!"

"Please? Anything you want! Name it."

 _A noose_ , she thought. _A gun. Hydrochloric acid. A stick of dynamite and a match.  
_  
"Peggy, please?"

"If you can get me released from this white hell hole, I'll consider you forgiven."

Howard grinned. "Of course. I can do that."

Peggy crossed her arms. "Can you?"

"'Course I can!" he exclaimed. "Besides which, I'm Howard Stark. And I work for the government. I don't have to be specific. You _are_ government property."

"Well, gee," said Peggy. "What an important gal I am."

"Anything else you want?"

 _A scotch. A pack of cigarettes. A fucking hairbrush._

"At the moment, I've no idea, but if I think of something, I will make you aware."

"Good," said Howard. He stood, and dusted off his pants. "I'll see you first thing tomorrow morning, then."

 _Tomorrow morning_? "Why?"

"So you can be discharged."

"Howard!"

"I already had it cleared with your _doctor_." He kissed her on the cheek and walked out, waving his hand behind him. "Bye!"

Peggy didn't reply. She was so irritated.

Instead, she picked up her knife and her spoon again.

"The Jell-O's softer, more malleable. But, the steak will definitely get stuck. It's the winner, here."


	6. Not To Be Forgotten

"I need a drink, first," said Peggy. "Then I'll tell you."

"I'm not letting you out of my sight until I get some answers."

 _God, he is being so demanding. Is this sort of thing normal for him, now? It's as if he's completely spun on a dial. He's very moody._

She turned around and walked toward the kitchen, where she proceeded to open the liquor cabinet.

She took down a bottle of scotch.

"I can't believe this is actually happening," said Steve, sitting down at the breakfast table. "I can't believe I am here, right now, and this is happening."

Peggy came in and sat across with him, her scotch in her hand.

"Believe," she said. "It."

"I need a drink."

Peggy raised her glass and saluted him, laughing. "Aye, aye, Captain."

He opened the bottle of scotch, and poured a small glass.

"I'm surprised at you," said Peggy. "You never used to drink with me."

"Well, now I'm drinking _because_ of you."

She laughed again.

"What is so damn funny?"

"You're just so perplexed," she said. "It's hilarious."

Her willingness to be so ruthlessly obnoxious made him very angry, she'd notice. She was still very mad at him and very irritated in general. But she didn't want him to know.

He came back over, and sat down again. He finished his drink in one gulp, and then slammed the glass down on the table. He wiped his mouth.

"Tell," he said. "The truth."

"Where should I start?"

 _God, she was so.._ he could just—

"The beginning," he said. "Start from the beginning, and make me understand. Make me understand why you did this to me and why you continued to do this to me, and why, suddenly, you've had a change of heart and don't want to do this to me."

She laughed. "All right."

When he'd first laid eyes on her this night, he had immediately seen his Peggy. The Peggy he'd known for so long. He knew her movements, her gestures, her voice. The way it cracked when she had something difficult to say, and the way she sniffled when she cried. He felt like he'd known her for all of his life, and all the lives before that. But now, as he looked at her, sitting across from him, her eyebrows raised, glass full of scotch, smug expression..he didn't see Peggy. His Peggy.

It was like an entirely new Peggy had emerged from the ice. There was one during the war, the one he knew, and there was one now, this one.

 _Who are you?_ Steve wanted to say. _What made you this way?_

But he knew that if he didn't calm down, and listen to her, he'd never get the answers he was looking for.

"In the years after the war, Howard had begun giving samples of your blood to the government for research—"

"Why?"

"He, and they, thought the serum, if extracted from the blood, could be used to create another Super Soldier. They were paying him a lot of money for vials of it. The idea of a second Captain America made them fight like children.

"He gave me what I thought was the last vial," she sniffed. "I kept it for a long time, because I didn't know what to do with it, and I didn't want Stark's grubby hands on it. Eventually, I poured it into the river over the Brooklyn Bridge, because I knew you'd want to be in Brooklyn. But Stark had lied to me, again.

"Turns out, he had kept 8 bottles of blood for himself, that he had never touched. He told me it was just in case he would ever need them. He never told the government about them. They were promised and given 20, and they were told there had been 20 in all. Turns out, there were 31 in all, 20 given to the government, 8 for himself, 2 that had met untimely demises in a lab beaker, and 1 that I managed to get for myself."

She sighed.

"Howard was ecstatic because the government had used up all 20 vials of blood, trying to figure out how to extract the Super Soldier Serum. No one could figure it out, and their idea of creating another Super Soldier was tossed.

"However, because of the 8 vials he had saved 'just in case', Howard was ultimately convinced he could do it again, the procedure that is, and it would be successful. He told me he'd found a way to create a third Super Soldier, and that the procedure itself would be quite easy to perform. But he needed a willing victim, excuse me, _participant_."

Steve almost smiled. "You."

"Yes, me." Peggy did smile. "I was lucky, or should I say unlucky enough to go through the procedure."

"What happened? Obviously, it worked."

Peggy took a swig of her drink. "Yes, it did. But it was not without its obstacles."

"Is that why you were cryogenically frozen?"

"I'm getting there," she said. "It was supposed to be like the second coming of Project Rebirth. We had done so well with you the first time, there was probable cause that it would work a second time. After you died, the war was over, but the world still needed hope. A new kind of hope. Stark figured that was something I could provide.

"The procedure took place in September 1946. Just as you were, I was injected with the serum, and put into that _oven_. During the process, the machine started to smoke, after we had hit 100% Vita-Rays, and it caught on fire. The serum had taken effect, and everyone was all right, but we had to evacuate immediately afterward."

She took another drink. "Howard carried me out, and just as soon as everyone had exited the building, it blew up."

"That must have been upsetting."

"Yes, Howard was very upset. I mean, the lab had exploded last time, but it was because of that bloody bomb. And it didn't do hardly as much damage as this. He lost all of his equipment, all of his notes."

She sighed.

"I had started working for the SSR as an agent right after the war, and I had begun work for Howard as an undercover operative. He was being framed for selling deadly weapons to a bidder, and the SSR was trying to implicate him in the crime. My job was to find and dispose of the weapons. I worked alongside Edwin Jarvis, Howard's butler. Because of my work, Howard thanked me greatly by allowing me to co-found S.H.I.E.L.D. with him."

"Okay, so you repay Howard in a big way, and he does you a solid by making you the third Super Soldier?"

"Yes, that's correct," she said. "As I said before, we had founded S.H.I.E.L.D., with the hopes of restoring order in the world. I had my procedure, we would work together, employ other agents and create a logistics division that was supposed to help protect the people of the world. They needed to know that they would be safe."

"I can't imagine a world without a war."

She blinked, swallowed, and nodded. "It is unlike anything you could ever imagine. And I thank God every day you didn't have to go through it."

"Do you?"

"Being in the world without a war, was like everyone trying to convince themselves that we would be okay and that we could go on about our daily lives, like we used to. We could eat well again, we could go back to our jobs. We could see our families. We could have sit down dinners, and listen to radio programs. Without fear that we'd have to go to our bomb shelters in the basement."

"It was worse than the actual war," said Steve. "Is that what you're saying?"

Peggy nodded, and her eyes filled with tears. "In all my life, I've experienced so much fear. We were supposed to feel safe, you know? It was over. It was done. We were liberated, the world had been liberated. But it was awful, Steve, just awful."

He frowned.

"I'm not being ungrateful. Trust me, I was grateful to come home and sleep in my bed and eat real food and bathe regularly." She smiled. "But it was so.. _scary_. I took a job at the SSR because it was quiet, it was seclusive, and I didn't have to worry about being killed. But that was exactly what had made the war _the war_. And I wanted to go back to that."

"I know the feeling."

"Once work for Howard began, I started getting excited again, I started feeling alive. Being in danger, being shot at, being a spy, an agent, it was what made me live during the war. I felt like I had a reason to live again. I realized, I feed off the danger. Happy is boring. Safe is an illusion."

She started to cry.

"At that point in my life, I had lost many people.."

Steve frowned.

"..and I'd be damned if I lost myself."


	7. When To Stay And When To Go

"You ready?"

Peggy turned. Howard was in her doorway, raising up a suitcase with his left hand.

"What in the bloody hell are you doing?" she asked him, stepping away from the window.

She was still in her robe, and had just had her breakfast. Matilda had brought it extremely early. She had said that Howard might stop in earlier than he'd said.

 _True;_ it was only 7:30.

"I told you I'd be coming to get you."

"Yes," she said. "At 8."

"Well, I know how much you want to get out of this place."

"What's that?" she asked, pointing at the suitcase. "You didn't buy me anything, did you?"

"No, these are your clothes," he said, coming into the room."I went to your apartment and picked up a few things. I wasn't sure what you'd want to wear."

"How did you get into my house?"

"I called your mom."

"You did what?!"

He set the suitcase on the freshly-made bed, and opened it. He took out a blouse and skirt and held them out to her.

She ignored his gesture.

"Howard?"

"Would you take these, please?"

She took the small bundle of clothes, and rolled her eyes.

"Why did you call my mother?"

"I needed to know where you kept the extra key."

"And what did she tell you?"

"That she didn't know. That you probably kept it on your person."

Peggy smirked. "And?"

"And it wasn't under the doormat or on top of the doorframe, so I called her and she said she'd come let me in. She wanted to know if I was your.."

"My?"

"Boyfriend."

Peggy's tone volume increased. "And what did you tell her, Howard?"

"I told her no. That I was just a friend."

Peggy raised an eyebrow. Due to prior instances, she was inclined not to believe him. But she decided to, for some reason.

"Um. You didn't happen to..bring a brassiere and knickers, did you?" she said.

Howard blushed, but nodded understandingly.

She took her things and went into the bathroom. "I won't be but a moment," she said, closing the door.

When she'd finished dressing, she combed her fingers through her hair and pinched her cheeks so they'd redden. She still felt like a stranger to herself, looking in the mirror. But somewhere, if she looked closely, she could see the old Peggy. The Peggy she liked to imagine she still was, but never could go back to.

She looked at her nails; spots of red nail polish, and decided the first thing she would do when she arrived home was paint her nails. It would make her feel somewhat human again, surely.

Then she'd call her mother.

Just as she put her handle on the doorknob, she was very sick. She leaned against the wall with her hand for support. She winced in pain, and felt the need to vomit.

And she couldn't stop it.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before she opened the door. She met Howard's eyes.

"What?" she said.

"You look nice."

"Shut up," she said. "I just called Uncle Ralph on the porcelain telephone."

"You did what?"

She packed up her suitcase, heading toward the door. Howard offered to carry it for her, but she declined.

"I vomited, not a big deal. I've been feeling sick ever since I came out of my coma, anyway."

"What do you think the reason for that is?"

"My medication, maybe? Not sure," she said. "I'll be fine."

They were half way down the hall when an important thought popped into Peggy's head.

"Oh, wait!" she said, turning around and sprinting back into her room.

"What?"

Peggy threw the suitcase on the bed, and pulled open the bottom drawer of the bedside table. The book was still there, and the letter was still inside.

"Howard?"

She closed the drawer with her foot, and turned to face the mustached man.

"Yes?"

"Do you know how this got here?"

"That book?"

"Yes," she said. "It's mine."

"I brought it from your apartment, too. A few days ago."

She rolled her eyes. She thought her eyelashes might turn into ash.

"Did you call my mother then, too?"

"Yes," he said, guiltily. He smiled sheepishly.

"Did you read the letter inside it?"

"What letter?"

She looked up into the ceiling, and mouthed, 'Thank you'. That was for Jesus.

"Are you okay?" he asked, a strange look on his face.

"Absolutely," she said, flinging open the suitcase and placing the book inside. She closed it, locked the latches, and flung it over her shoulder. "Shall we get coffee?"

* * *

Peggy and Howard were sitting at a quaint Italian restaurant in downtown Brooklyn, sipping espresso.

"I've just thought of something," said Peggy, setting down her cup onto its saucer.

"Yes?"

"You set me up in a New York hospital, and flew from here to London and back to get my things."

"Yes."

"Why did you do that?"

"Because I know you'd do the same for me."

Peggy smirked, sipping her espresso. "Would I?"

"I hope so. Do you know how much fuel I went through?"

She smiled and laughed.

"I want to thank you for all that you've done for me, in the past.." she paused. " _Year_."

She half-smiled and blinked, feeling tears coming on.

"I can't tell you how much it means to me, nor that I remember it because I was asleep for most of it." She smiled. "But I'm thankful all the same."

Howard laughed. "You don't have to thank me, Peg," he said.

"I do, actually. Because I don't know how you keep your patience with me."

He smiled. "I've had practice."

"Hmm," she said. "I _am_ quite a handful."

"Within good reason," he replied. "There's always a good reason for what you do."

"Yes, well, let's talk about something else," she sniffed. "I don't want to ruin the makeup I'm not wearing."

Howard paid for their espressos and they left the restaurant, taking a short stroll down the street.

"Just let me know when you want me to fly you home," Howard said after a while.

"London," said Peggy, sounding out the word. "Home."

"Not unless you're ready," he said. "I don't want to push you."

"Your intentions are good, Howard. I just don't know what I'm going to do with myself. The SSR probably won't take me back."

"Why wouldn't they take you back?"

"It _has_ been a whole year. Are they even still operating?" she said. "I'm not sure, anyway. That part of my life is over. That is the old Peggy."

"The old Peggy?"

"The war Peggy. The Peggy who was still holding onto Steve," she said, hesitantly.

Howard nodded. "I understand," he said. "But there isn't an old Peggy, and there isn't a new Peggy. There's just Peggy. You're still the same, you know. You just slept for a little bit. Now, you're entering a new phase in your life, and you're unsure. That's okay."

"Is it?"

"That's what I'm here for," he said. "I'll be here for you. You helped me out a great deal by getting the SSR off my back. You know what? You shouldn't go back to work for those jerks, anyhow. You're too good for 'em."

Peggy blushed, and tears rose to her eyes again. "Howard.."

"I mean it, Peg," he said. "It's ridiculous. They treat you like shit, anyhow."

She rolled her eyes. "I guess you're right."

"You bet I am!"

"Don't get too cocky, now," she smiled.

They continued walking until they reached the end of the block.

"I have an idea," said Howard.

"How's that?"

"We can start work."

"For S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"Yeah, I mean, unless you're not ready. The serum did work, and I've got a grant to hire agents and start up operations," he said. "From the government. Because I gave them 'all' of Steve's blood."

Peggy laughed. "Yes," she said, tapping the vein on her wrist. "All of it."

"And I'd put you to work," he said. "You won't have to ever worry about answering the phone or getting lunch orders ever again."

"Good. Now I won't have to spit in any more sandwiches."

"Not unless you want to." He smiled and she returned it. "So what do you say? I could have all of your things shipped here. I've got plenty of room in my estate, too."

"Estate?"

"Yes," he said. "40 rooms, a swimming pool, state-of-the-art electronics. Jarvis'll be there to keep you company. You remember him, right? Tall, skinny Englishman? Grumpy face?"

"Rings a bell." She smirked.

"So it's all settled, then," he said. "Are you in?"

"Yes," she said.

"And don't worry about your things. You can stay at the estate tonight, and then the rest of your things will be shipped over tomorrow morning. It'll all be taken care of."

"Thank you, dearest."

"You're welcome," he said. "Oh, and Peggy?"

"Yes?"

"You don't have to let go of him, you know. Steve."

He smiled.

"And you don't have to refer to yourself as the new Peggy, either. I like this Peggy, and this Peggy is the same Peggy I've known for six years. You haven't changed a bit. It's not like you had to, or you would. You don't have to pretend you're someone else, a stranger."

 _There_ _were the tears!_

"And you don't have to let either of them go."


	8. Road To Remembrance

Steve picked up his scotch glass and fiddled with it, watching the sip of liquid spin at the bottom.

"So, there," said Peggy. "You have all your answers."

"Do I?"

"Oh come on now," she spat. "I told you all that I know. I made you 'understand'."

"You never told me why you were frozen in the first place," he mentioned. "If the serum worked, and your job as protector of S.H.I.E.L.D. was going to work, what didn't work? What happened that you had to be frozen?"

"I didn't really have a choice in the matter."

"Why?"

"Because of Hydra."

"Did they try to hurt you?"

"Yes," she said. "Once we began our work with S.H.I.E.L.D., we found ourselves changing. Up until the freezing, I had remained isolated but Howard met Maria, and was moving on with his life. And then, suddenly, we were compromised by Hydra. I was the first to find out about it. When I tried to warn Howard and the other operatives, Hydra kidnapped me and poisoned me. The object was to kill me, so Hydra could take over and 'rule the world', so to speak, as Schmidt had never gotten the chance to do. I escaped, and I found my way back to Howard. There, he was able to put me in a cryogenic chamber, and he said he'd be back for me once this entire thing had blown over."

"But he never came back."

"Nope," she said, finishing off her scotch. "He didn't."

"He must've had a good reason for not coming back to get you."

"I was upset at the time, because the entire reason why I had become a Super Soldier was to prevent this kind of thing from happening, and protect everyone if it ever did. That much poison should've killed me. It would have, in fact. Howard didn't see a point in trying to come up with an antidote, seeing as time was limited. He wanted to take Maria and get out of the country, perhaps resume operations somewhere secretive. He had planned to take me with them, but we never accounted for my almost death. In the meantime, the organization had been destructed by Hydra. By the time that Howard would've come back to unfreeze me because it was safe, he and Maria had gotten into their car accident."

"Oh, Peggy."

"I didn't find out about it until much, much later, either," she said. "I was never mad at him for not defrosting me, I just wanted to know what had happened. He did have a good reason for it, though, you're right. It was just not the reason I was expecting."

"The poison almost killed you, the freezing process took place to..?"

"Kill the poison," she said. "And it did, obviously. But all the time I missed out on trying to build S.H.I.E.L.D. back up after Howard's death. I didn't even know he had died until they told me, a few months after the defrosting. I didn't even get to mourn him. Even if I knew we only had 5 years or so left, I would've wanted to have them. I think about him everyday."

"Have you met Tony?"

"Yes, I have." She smiled. "He wouldn't like me saying it, but he's exactly like Howard. I only met Maria once, but she was a charming lady. She was a nurse. In fact, I found out later that she had taken care of me after my coma."

"Your _what_?!"

"Oh, there's that," she said. "After the SSS procedure, and the building exploded and everything, I had gone into a year-long coma. I missed almost all of 1947."

"Jesus," said Steve.

"Yes. But I wouldn't worry too much about it. Nothing changed that much in a year." She sighed. "And now? God, I don't even know where to start."

She seemed really upset. And he suddenly felt very bad about the way he had treated her, as if she was a stranger. This really was his Peggy. He had just overreacted.

"Peggy, it's okay," he said, trying to sound reassuring. "It's going to be okay."

She half-smiled, but bowed her head and shook it.

"No, Steve, it's really not."

And that made Steve think for a moment, about things being okay.

" _I thought I'd find you here."_

 _The word were curt, and solid and spoken without emotion. It was Agent Hill who said them, although Steve wouldn't recognize her for several moments after she spoke._

 _They were in Germany. He was alone, built up in his old war uniform, and for some reason, he was standing in the middle of the dance floor, of a dance hall._

 _He couldn't remember why he had come._

 _Was it the loss? The loss of what could've been that plagued him? When S.H.I.E.L.D. ruptured, he stole back his old Cap uniform. He had missed it. It was symbolism, it was the American way. It was him; or the him he thought he still was, but actually used to be. He had just wanted a piece of his old self back, that's all it was. Wasn't it?_

 _But standing here? In the middle of an old dance hall? Was he missing something?_

 _And then it all came back to him._

" _Captain Rogers, is everything all right?" Agent Hill asked. "I don't know why I asked you that, of course nothing is all right."_

 _She thought she would find him here. Why's that? Had he been here before? He tilted his head downward and rubbed at his eyeballs. The light was shining directly down upon him, like he was the star of the show. Like he was important._

 _He looked up._

 _He looked to the left._

 _Peggy._

 _Peggy had been here, that's why he'd come. They were supposed to have their dance, finally. He had been standing there, waiting. For something. For her? And then she had said his name._

" _Steve."_

 _And all he could do was look at her in disbelief, but the kind that takes a while to settle in, not the heightened, surprised, shock that would've graced his face. He was in disbelief because she was standing in front of him, and he was less than a foot away from her. And all he had to do, was reach out and touch her._

 _But she wouldn't be real. She couldn't be._

 _Peggy Carter was in Washington, D.C., a sleeping, gentle woman snuggled in her bed. A woman who had lived her life, without him, but a full life. With a…husband, and kids. And probably grandkids._

 _She was wrinkled and sprinkled with aging freckles. There were ribs in her skin from where she had smiled and laughed for 95 years._

 _Her eyes glowed a bright ember color. The same color he'd witnessed all those years ago, and still thought about before he went to sleep each night._

 _They, her eyes, had dulled over the years. But every once in a while, when he would go to see her, he could see it. The glow. The happiness and joy that had surrounded her, and made her whole, and her eyes reflected that._

 _And then, when she'd look at him, they would dull. Because he could see his physiognomy in them, and he knew they were both thinking the same thing._

It should've been us.

" _Captain Rogers, I can't help you unless you talk to me."_

 _But he just stood there, and kept looking to his left, like she would appear out of thin air once again._

 _He still smelt her perfume, whisps of it circled the atmosphere. Then, he took a step and she was there again. He went to her, hoping she wouldn't disappear again._

 _She was there, and strong and solid and warm. Her skin was like cloth. He touched her face and felt the heat rise to her cheeks as she cracked a smile. And her lips, her brilliant, cherry bomb lips. Two perfect hearts coming together with a smack._

" _The war is over," she said again, as before. "We can go home now."_

 _He slid his hand from her face to her neck and then her shoulder, and rested it there for a while._

 _He looked at her solemnly and smiled sadly._

" _Peggy.."_

" _Imagine it," she said, like before._

 _So he tried. He tried to imagine the war being over, and going home with Peggy. Holding hands. Kissing. Other things. Living together. Smiling together. Eating together. Reading together. Drawing together. Falling asleep together._

 _Then came the heart ache._

 _Marrying her. Having kids with her. Growing old together. Taking their last breath together, like it should be. As it should've been._

 _Tears enclosed at the corners of his eyes._

 _He wanted it, he had wanted it so bad. It was all he could think about forever._

 _He touched her face again, and this time, she took his hands, and stepped away. She wanted to dance, just like last time._

 _He took her hand in his, and reached for her other._

 _She spun in a quick and sweet circle, coming round to nestle up next to him._

 _He wrapped his other hand around her and pulled her closer, with such exertion that she let out a tiny "oop!" when he did so._

 _She smiled madly and giggled softly._

 _He smiled too, but all he could consciously do was stare at her._

 _Her eyes, her hair, her smile. Her dress. Blue with a pink flower pin. The way it fit her, he noticed that, too. He knew she could feel his eyes on her, and without hesitation, she leaned in, and so did he._

 _Just as they were about to kiss, Agent Hill spoke again, this time, taking away the day dream entirely._

 _And there he was again. It was dark. He was in the middle of the dance floor, alone. And that damn light shined bright on him, as if to say, yes, this man is lost._

 _He shook his head and looked up as Agent Hill walked toward him._

" _You'll need to come with me."_

" _Why?" he said._

" _Business," she said, half-smiling._

 _He didn't smile, he frowned a little, but he was trying to show as little emotion as possible, even though he could barely stand and he was dying inside._

"Steve..?" said Peggy. "Are you all right?"

"I don't think I ever will be."

"Then this probably isn't the best time to tell you this.."

"Tell me what?" he said. "There's more?"

"A little."

"What's a little?"

"It's about our life together."

"Our life together?"

"Yes."

"What are you talking about?"

She started to become upset, and tears rushed down her face.

"We have a daughter, Steve!" she exclaimed, with a faltering tone. She had just wanted to blurt it out. It was like a damned weight on her shoulders.

Steve's eyes widened. His body tensed.

"Her name is Sarah." She sniffed. "She is eight."

She looked at him, and he stared because he couldn't believe it.

"I didn't know I was pregnant when I was frozen. Somehow, she was able to survive both the poison and the freeze."

 _How? We didn't—?_

He still didn't know what to say, because he couldn't form what he was thinking into words.

"Now, you're just fucking with me," he said, cruelly.

"What?"

"You're alive, you needed a way to tell me, you knew it was going to be difficult. You made this story up to make it easier. To make me coming out of the ice, and realizing you've been alive this entire time easier."

"All the goddamn problems you've had, all the things you've gone through since coming out of the ice, I've had to deal with, too, Steve! I've been where you were! I've had to assimilate to this life! I've had to figure out how to live in this time! It's not just you!"

"I know that!"

"Do you? You barely gave me a chance to explain, and you were already shooting bullets at me! You've got no idea what the fuck you're talking about, Steve."

"I don't—"

"No," said Peggy. "Shut the fuck up. For five seconds. Listen to me. In no way does my struggle equate to yours, and vice versa, but don't you dare tell me what I've gone through isn't a vice to me. It affects everything I do. I am a different person because of it. You may have noticed. There's a different Peggy! Just like there's a different Steve! Did you think about that?"

"No, but—"

"Our daughter, Steve, she doesn't think about that. She just sees me, and she sees pictures of you and she doesn't care. Because we're her parents and she knows we'll always love her, care for her, and be there for her. She doesn't give a fuck about the wrong, Steve. She doesn't! She doesn't care about the wrong, and the hurt, and the upset. She loves you. She told me that. She hasn't even met you, yet, and she loves you. She can take one look at you and ignore all the bad, and only see the good. That's what I was trying to do with you, and I'd hoped you do with me. Because we've got a life, Steve. You and me and Sarah. It's here, if you want it."

"I don't know what I want anymore!" Steve cried. Tears filled his eyes.

"You've hurt me in so many different ways, but I forgave you because I love you and I want to move past that. Can we move past that? Or not? Can little Steve Rogers, who used to get beat up in alleys, and behind diners, and in parking lots forgive me? The Steve Rogers that never ran away from a fight, even though he knew he had absolutely no chance of winning? The Steve Rogers that understood me, that didn't judge me and made me feel safe? I hope I made you feel that way, too. And the Steve Rogers..the Steve Rogers that kissed me before he saved the world, the Steve Rogers that said goodbye and promised me a dance he was incapable of keeping but did it anyway?"

"Peggy," he cried.

"Because it's Peggy. Your Peggy. I am your Peggy. And you are my Steve. And I am yours and you are mine. We are here, Steve. We have a daughter. We have a daughter! And she sounds just like you, she smiles just like you. She even talks the same way you do. How am I supposed to live my life with my daughter, who looks like me but acts, speaks, and smiles just like you? How do you expect me to live without you, again, when you're right here? How could I do "this" to you? Steve.."

She stood and slammed her fists on the table.

"How could you do this to _me_?"


	9. Gelé

Two weeks later, just before Christmas 1947, Howard and Peggy were putting files into boxes at the old SSR headquarters. They planned to fly from London to New York that night and start setting up S.H.I.E.L.D..

"So tell me about that girl you've been seeing," said Peggy, tucking a file into a box.

They had finished everything from A to U and were trying to make it to Z by the time the night was over. Howard had promised drinks.

"Maria," said Howard. "She's..she's amazing."

"Amazing how?"

"Not sure," he said. "She's just amazing."

Peggy chuckled. "You sick goose."

"What can I say, Peg? I think I'm in love."

Peggy smiled real big. She was so happy that Howard was happy. She would bet that Howard would marry this girl some day, perhaps even soon.

"Are you all right?" Howard asked.

"Yes, I just feel very sick."

"Still? You've been out of the hospital and off that medication for ages," he said. "If you don't think you can do anymore, we can finish tomorrow."

"Nonsense." Peggy waved her hand dismissively. "Probably just the flu."

Howard nodded. "But, I'm so excited for you to Maria again," he said enthusiastically. "All she could talk about was how much she loved you when she met you."

"I'd like to see her again," said Peggy.

"We could go to dinner," Howard said, opening a drawer.

"That would be lovely," she said.

"Peg, we could double-date! Me and Maria and you and Ste—"

He froze.

 _Goddamnit, Howard._

"Oh, Peggy," he said. "I did it again."

"It's fine."

"No, it's not. I did it again. You think I'd know better by now."

"It's okay, Howard, really."

"No, it isn't!"

She slammed a file down on the table. "Why?" she asked, exasperated.

"Because it's unfair to you. I made a mistake and I'm sorry. I do that all the time, whether I realize it or not, you know. I was just thinking about him the other day."

"I think about him everyday."

"I'm sure you do. And I told you, that's okay. But it isn't okay when I say things like that, and I completely forget how that makes you feel."

"Howard," she snapped. "I told you it was okay, and I mean it. Please do not make me any more cross."

He held up his hands and backed away. "Okay, I won't," he said. "In fact.." he closed the cabinet drawer and headed for the door. "I'll let you be."

"Howard, you don't—"

"No, I think you need your space. I'm going to go. We'll leave for New York tomorrow. And we can get drinks another time, I promise."

"All right."

He left, she began to cry. Then she stopped, because she realized she needed to get up and vomit.

Her throat pulsated. She drank a glass of water and sat back down. Then, she tried to collect her thoughts and calm down.

But it didn't work.

She sobbed, burying her face in her hands. They were deep and thick cries. They ached her from her heart and her lungs, and shook her rib cage. She cried so hard that her eyes, closed shut, crinkled with anger, and her body writhed with numbing pain. She was just so tired of hurt.

And when she finally opened her eyes, she noticed the device stuck to the wall.

She wiped her nose with the back of her hand and moved closer to get a better look at it.

"Come here, you little bugger," she sniffed. It couldn't have been bigger than a dime. She pulled it off the wall, and it made a ticking sound.

"A listening device?" she whispered. "From?"

She flipped it over.

PROPERTY OF HYDRA

"Oh, you've got to be _fucking kidding m—_ "

The ticking increased exponentially.

Peggy threw the thing across the room and ducked behind a large cabinet, plugging her ears. It wasn't five seconds later that it exploded.

When Peggy climbed out from behind the cabinet, everything in the room was smoking. There was fire. The room was covered in a thick, gray smoke.

She stood up slowly, hiding behind the cabinet. Something didn't feel right. She took her FP-45 out from under her shirt.

That's when she heard the footsteps.

"Hoffen, dass Sie ein paar Freunde mitgebracht," Peggy coughed.

A laugh. "Würden Sie nicht lieber würde ich allein gekommen?" said a male voice.

"Make it easy for me," Peggy snapped, turning and firing. She hit him in the shoulder. She only got a quick look, but she knew he wasn't alone.

"Komm raus, mein Schatz," he said.

"Verpiss dich!" said Peggy. He laughed at this.

She turned and fire again, missing him because she'd turned too quick and coughed, but she could hear him cock his submachine gun and load a round into chamber. Whoever was with him did the same.

"There's nowhere to go, Agent Carter," the man spoke in English. "Give it up."

She turned and fired five bullets. Two hit the first soldier, making that three bullets. One in his shoulder, one in his heart, and one in his left cheek. The other soldier was hit in the forehead and the shoulder. They'd both fallen to the ground with a thud.

Peggy peeked from behind the cabinet, and noticed the coast was clear. She coughed into the crease of her elbow. This must've been the smoke inhalation Howard was talking about.

She walked over to the Hydra soldiers. She took their guns, slinging the straps over her shoulder.

"There, there, boys," she said. "I thought we could play nicely."

 _Whack!_

Suddenly, Peggy's head throbbed and everything went dark.

"Ich wünsche Ihnen einen friedlichen Tod, Agentur Carter."

* * *

"Good morning, sweetheart."

Peggy's eyes snapped open. She was strapped in a chair with thick leather. Every part of her body was bound.

"Who the fuck are you?"

"Calm down, dearest. Everything is all right."

It was a nurse. She had long eyelashes and a creepy smile. And a German accent.

 _Hydra_ , she thought. She etched her fingernails into the chair.

"Where the fuck am I?"

"Dirty mouth, you've got on you."

"Tell me where _the fuck_ I am, and who _the fuck_ you are, and what _the fuck_ I'm doing here,"

Peggy growled.

"You're in the hospital," said the nurse. They were definitely not in a hospital. It was a lab, similar to Howard's.

"My name is Sasha, and I am a nurse, as you probably could tell. And I'm here to give you your medicine."

"What godblessed medicine?"

"This," said Sasha, flicking a large needle.

It was a clear liquid, and Peggy noticed that she didn't rub her arm with antiseptic. It must not matter what it was; they just wanted it in her.

"What..is that?"

"I'd tell you, but you won't remember it anyway."

Peggy's fingernails dug into the chair deeper. She looked at herself. She realized she was still in the same smoked clothes she'd been wearing, and she was barefoot.

Then she looked around the room, surveying her surroundings. There were two doors on the left and right hand sides of the room. They were small, and it looked as though they were for the lab techs. A large staircase stood out in the middle of the room. There was probably a door up there, an exit. There was a machine across from her, but she didn't think it'd have anything to with her. Sasha was obviously holding a syringe of poison.

They'd cornered her, knocked her out, strapped her to the chair, and would inject her with the poison and kill her. _Typical_. Just then, a balding man in a white lab coat came rumbling down the stairs. He gestured wildly with his hands, as the needle was 4 inches away from Peggy.

"Sasha!" called a voice. "Was ist los?"

"Ich wollte dem Verfahren, Arzt gehen."

"Ich habe dir gesagt, zu warten, bis ich anwesend war," he snapped. "Was hast du nicht um das zu verstehen?"

Peggy thought they didn't know she could speak German.

"Hat jemand Lust, mir zu sagen, was zum Teufel ich hier mache?" she said.

Both persons drew back, surprised.

"Ah, ich bin dafür bekannt," said the doctor. "Agent Carter."

"Dear Doctor, would you mind enlightening me?"

"You don't really need to know, Agent Carter," he said. "It would be a waste of time to tell you."

"Why's that?"

"As Sasha said, you won't remember it."

The doctor nodded to Sasha and watched as she attempted to inject the needle into Peggy's arm. Peggy squirmed and thrashed about, but her head began to throb again and she felt very weak.

Peggy bet that they thought they'd won.

They've got Peggy Carter strapped to chair, about to be poisoned, and Captain America is dead. The war may be over, and they may've lost, but they still had work to do.

And they didn't know Peggy had taken the SSS.

Suddenly, she felt a burst inside her. It was like her emotions were heightened all at once; she was so angry she could've killed everyone in the room. She tore the leather straps off of her body, and punched Sasha clear across the room. She stumbled out of the chair and ran toward the staircase.

The doctor ran after her, tackling her by the legs. He stabbed her in the ankle, but she kicked him off roughly and got up again. She sped all the way up the stairs and found the door she'd thought would be there. She punched out two Hydra soldiers, taking their guns and firing into the lab and hallway of the exit as she escaped. She killed those two, and there were three more chasing after her. She got to the main entrance and flung open the door. A chilly wind enveloped the room. There was snow, three feet deep, blocking the door.

"For _fuck's_ sake!"

Peggy built up her anger and she burst through the snow. She jumped her way in and out of the obstruction, until she reached the other side of the woods.

Thanks to that Super Soldier serum, she ran, blistering, chilled, and barefoot, all the way to Howard, who was still in London.

And she made it.

She kicked open the door of Howard's hotel building and bounded up the stairs, ignoring those who tried to stop her.

She slammed her fists against his door, until he opened it, and she fell, face first inside, crying into the carpet.

"What-what happened?"

"Hydra, tried to, poison me." She was so out of breath.

"What?"

He got down on the floor with her. She sat up, on her knees and elbows.

"After you left, I found a Hydra listening device, and they, knocked me out, and kidnapped me."

"But did they poison you?"

"No, I didn't, let them."

"Peggy, what's this?" He touched her leg. There was a scar at her ankle.

"Howard, I.."

"Peggy! They poisoned you!"

"No, no, I didn't, I didn't let them, I didn't let them poi—"

"This is an injection scar!"

She felt very, very weak and she collapsed into Howard's arms. As fast as he could, Howard carried Peggy to the lab.


	10. The First Of The Few

"I don't want to do anything to you. I just want to understand."

"Then listen to me. Hear me out."

"I have a question."

"Just one?"

"How is it possible, that we have a child together? And that she's only 8?"

"It's that bloody serum, Steve," she cried. "I don't know what to say to you if you still think I'm making this up."

"It just doesn't make sense." He stood up, and took his glass to the kitchen. He poured himself another scotch.

"Would you like proof?"

He nodded, taking a drink from his glass.

"Do you remember the last time we had sex?"

He almost spit his scotch everywhere.

"Yes," he piped, his voice raising an octave.

" _Hey, soldier!"_

 _Steve turned. Peggy was waving at him from the other side of the conference room. She pointed to the left and winked. She was referring to the filing room in the back of the building. Oh._

 _He gestured awkwardly. Not. Now. Soon, he mouthed._

 _What? she mouthed back._

 _I can't. Right now. Debriefing, he mouthed._

 _She pouted. He smirked._

 _Please? she mouthed, pursing her lips. She twirled a little bit in her skirt._

 _Steve's eyes widened. Oh boy. Debriefing might have to wait._

 _He turned and looked at the Howling Commandos, who were discussing Hydra weapon factory bases with Colonel Phillips. He turned back to her. Five minutes? he mouthed._

 _She rolled her eyes. Fine, she mouthed. And then she turned around and walked away, purposely swaying back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and-_

" _Rogers! What in the Sam hell are you doing?"_

" _Sir?"_

" _You in this conversation, or not? We've got a left to go over."_

" _I'm sorry, sir. I don't feel well all of a sudden."_

" _Go take a break. Be back in ten. If you're still not better, don't come back," he said, shaking his head. "Last thing I need is for one ass to get the rest of the asses sick."_

 _Steve smiled. "Yes, sir."_

 _When he reached the filing room, the light was out. He didn't turn it on._

" _Agent Carter?" he whispered. "I'm reporting for duty."_

" _You're_ late _for duty, Captain." she whispered seductively._

 _He smirked, and closed the door._

" _Where are you?"_

" _You'll have to find me!" she teased._

 _He looked down the first aisle. She wasn't there. And not in the second, either. Or the third._

" _Crikey O'Reilly! You're driving me mad over here!"_

 _He laughed._

 _Finally, he walked into the fourth aisle, and there she was, sprawled out on the floor. She smiled. "It's about damn time!"_

" _I'll make it up to you."_

 _He crouched down and got on his hands and knees._

" _You know," he said, loosening his tie. "This might be easier if the light was on."_

 _He was having trouble, so she came over and helped him get it off. Then, she started to unbutton his shirt. He began kissing her neck, in the same spot that made her left leg do the Hokey Pokey all on its own._

 _She smiled and laughed a little._

 _She tore off his shirt, and flung it behind her. Steve unbuckled his pants and started kissing her neck again. Peggy unzipped her skirt, and untucked her blouse. Steve helped her pull it over her head, revealing a lacy emerald bra. They began kissing._

 _Steve broke the kiss and suddenly stood up, in just his briefs and a tank top._

" _What are you doing?" hissed Peggy._

" _Do you think we could both fit on the top of this bookcase?" He touched the top of the bookcase. "Because I think that—"_

 _In one quick motion, Peggy lept up from the ground and pulled Steve down with her._

" _Bah!" said Steve._

 _Peggy almost had a laughing fit._

 _They kissed and kissed, as Peggy ripped Steve's tank top off his body and he unlatched her bra. Just as Steve placed his hands on her hips, Peggy stopped him._

" _Wait," she said. "I don't have a rubber. Do you?"_

" _No," whined Steve. "I don't either."_

 _Peggy laid down on her back, disappointed. Steve did the same._

 _Steve looked at her. She half-smiled. But then he broke into a big smile and then she did, too. They laughed like a bunch of idiots, and neither knew why. They were just so in love. Peggy grinned at him and laughed._

 _Steve loved when she did that; it was so cute. It was rare to find Margaret Carter in moments of cuteness. She was so sexy, so gorgeous, you wouldn't ever think she was capable of being or could be cute. But here she was._

" _I mean, but what if we—?" Steve started._

" _No," said Peggy. "We can't."_

" _It's happened plenty of times before, and there haven't been pregnancies."_

" _I can't afford to take the risk," Peggy said, brushing her hair out of her face. "And neither can you."_

" _But we could if we were married, right?"_

 _Peggy half-smiled. "Yes, I suppose so. But, Steve, children-"_

 _Steve picked up his pants and reached into a pocket. He pulled out a little blue box with gold detailing. He opened it slowly._

" _It'd be cliche to say it's not much," he said. "But, well, it's not much."_

" _Steve!"_

 _Steve grinned that stupid grin. "Peggy...will you be my best girl?" he whispered. "Forever?"_

 _Peggy laughed and nodded. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"_

 _He placed the ring on her finger and she hugged him around the neck. He kissed her and smiled so big he thought he might explode._

 _Peggy cuddled him and laid on his chest, and Steve wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head._

" _So..now what?"_

" _What do you think?" Peggy whispered._

 _Steve sat up and before he could do anything, Peggy slammed him down on his back. She_

 _climbed on top of him and tilted her head to the side, grinning madly._

" _Allons à travailler."_

"And boom," Peggy said unequivocally.

"Boom?"

"You got me pregnant!"

"Yes, that would make sense," he said. "We didn't have..a.."

"A _rubber_ ," she said, getting up from the table and walking over toward him. "I wish you'd just say it. It's not like it's a dirty word."

"You use 'fuck' as an adjective."

"Within good reason."

"So, you're pregnant, I die, you take the serum, you're poisoned, and frozen, you wake up almost 70 years later. How did she survive that?"

"You can call her by her name, Steve."

"You named her after my mother," he remarked.

She smiled. "That I did," she said. "And her middle name is Irene, which was my sister's name and my mother's middle name."

"Sarah Irene."

"Carter-Rogers."

"Thank you."

"Hmm," she said. "You're welcome, I guess."

"But the serum? It saved her?"

"Yes. Just as it saved me."

"And she's eight? That means she must've been born in 2007. You weren't defrosted until 2011. What happened?"

"Two words," said Peggy, angrily. "Nick. Fury."

An unlimited amount that he could couldn't count, Nick had lied to him and deceived him, because he thought it would be _for the best_. Steve still didn't know what to say, because he couldn't form what he was thinking into words. Instead, he looked at her, feeling there was more she had to say.

There was.

"They found out about me after Howard died. Fury had taken over S.H.I.E.L.D., Jarvis was raising Tony. Nick inducted a search for me, and when they found me, I was very pregnant. The way it was explained to me, they decided not to take action, seeing as the baby and I would have stayed in this state if we continued to be frozen. I think that, through my own conclusions, Sarah was able to grow to full term when we were frozen, because of the SSS. Because, without it, we both would've died, surely.

"In 2007, they unfroze me and induced labor. They forced me to give birth, comatose," she said. "I was fully capable of being fine, healthy after the birth. But they took Sarah, and they _chose_ to keep me frozen until they needed me.

"They took her from me, Steve," she whispered through fresh tears. "Right out of my womb!"

She covered her face with her hands.

"They took Agent Carter's and Captain America's daughter.."

She paused, taking a deep breath, trying to keep from crying again. She took her hands from her face, and looked him right in the eye. She was trying so hard not to cry.

But it was useless, Steve could see. There was too much pain here.

"..so they could get her blood..to make more super soldiers.."

And she began to cry again, a hand on her forehead.

It was unlike something Steve had ever seen before. And he himself could feel the upset radiating off of her.

"I'm guessing it didn't work," he whispered.

"No, it didn't. And they stopped trying after they found you. We were trying to help you assimilate, and in order for that to happen, I was put aside, along with Sarah, because we were considered a 'distraction'. How could Captain America save the world from aliens if he knew his old flame was alive and they had a daughter?"

He wanted to do something, but all he could muster up was, "Peggy..."

"Oh, me! Woe is me!" she cried, mockingly. "What do you plan to do with me now?"

Steve set his glass down, and took her hands in his.

"Well?" she spat.

"Well, what?"

"Do something! Say something! You've hardly said a word."

"Where is she?"

"What?"

"I said, where is she?"

"She's fine. She's at home."

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine, I told you." She sniffed. "She's been asking about you."

"I would like to meet her."

"I can arrange that," she said, nodding."I'm sure she'd love to meet her daddy."

He smiled sadly. He didn't say anything, because again, he didn't know what to say.

"Steve!" She pushed his hands off of her and walked away. He tried to hold her, but she spun around and tugged on his arm. Then she smacked it, good and hard. Then again. And again. And he just let her, because he could see the pain in her eyes.

Her eyes were now the color of burnt sugar, and it resonated with Steve because everything in Peggy's world was burning right before his very eyes.

"Damnit! Damnit!" She smacked him, harder and harder and she cried, harder and harder. She didn't stop, and she kept getting more and more angry to the point where she went kapoot and frustratingly flung herself around, flailing her arms and legs and crying so hard she might throw up.

"Hey, hey," whispered Steve, gently.

But she wouldn't listen. He almost cried. He could feel the tears, and as he began to speak again, his voice faltered. She was breaking, and he felt himself on the verge of doing the same.

"Hey! Hey!"

He forcefully wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him. She didn't protest. She let him hold her, ingrained her hands into his back and buried her face in his chest, sobbing. Steve started to cry, softly.

"It may not seem like it now, but it's going to be okay," he said, for Peggy.

And for himself.


	11. The Final Chord

Just as soon as Howard set Peggy down, she vomited everywhere. It was gut-wrenching; she thought she was dying.

And that's because she was.

"Come on, over here!" said Howard. "There's a cryogenic chamber!"

"A bloody what?"

"Just come here!"

Peggy hobbled over and followed him to the back of the lab. There was a large machine, equivalent to that of a refrigerator.

"Howard, there are Hydra spies! They've been undercover, working for us for months! You-you need to warn everyone!"

"I will take care of that later. Right now, I have to take care of you."

Howard tugged on the door handle, pulling with all of his might. She stepped up and he helped her inside. It was freezing.

"What's the purpose of this, again?" she asked.

"To kill the poison," said Howard. "It's the only way."

"The only way?" Peggy screeched. "Couldn't you make an antidote or something?"

"I could, but we don't have time. The poison is setting in."

He shut the door. Conveniently, there was a little window showcasing Peggy's face. She scowled at him.

"How do you feel?"

"Frosty."

"Yes, it is cold," he said. "I'm going to turn it on, and then you'll start to feel the cold intensify. That means it's working. We just need to keep you in there until the poison is gone."

"How long will that take?"

"I'm not sure," he said. "But I'll come back for you."

He flipped a switch to his left and turned to go.

"Howard!"

"It's okay, Peggy. But if what you said is true, and we do have Hydra spies in our organization, I need to go patch things up." He smiled. "You'll be safe here."

He ran out.

"Howard!" she screamed. "Howard!"

She started to cry. She was so worried something would happen to him. What if he was killed? What would she do without him?

Peggy's tears froze to her face, and she started to get really cold again. _It's working_ , she thought. _I'm not going to die_.

She started to cry again. A pair erected in her stomach. It kept getting stronger. She felt sick to her stomach.

She tried to ignore it, so she thought back to what Howard had said. About it being okay to not let Steve go. She thought about the Brooklyn Bridge, and that one vial of Steve's blood she'd had left.

Steve. Those were happy memories.

 _Good thoughts, Peg. Good thoughts. Ignore the pain, I'm sure it's just one of the side effects._

She started to think about Steve again, and how she had taken his ring off after he'd died. She hadn't wanted to, but it was the only way she felt she could move on.

Her recollection was interrupted by the pain in her abdomen.

She felt like she needed to vomit again. Why did she keep vomiting? She must be really si—

Pregnant.

Peggy was pregnant.

That's why she had been vomiting so much, that's why she always felt sick.

"Bloody hell!" she squeaked.

She was pregnant, with Steve's child. _Oh, God._ And the baby! _Would it be okay?_ She wasn't going to be in this giant refrigerator for long. It wouldn't hurt the baby.

She cried. "The baby," she said.

Peggy sobbed, and banged on the glass of the machine.

"Howard!" she screamed. "Howard!"

Suddenly, as if on cue, Howard came running around the corner.

"Howard!?"

He was covered in dirt and debris, and his face was beet red, his eyes wild. He put his face up against the glass.

"It's all right, Peg, everything's okay! They destroyed S.H.I.E.L.D., Peggy! Hydra blew up our facility! Everyone's evacuated, but we lost a lot of information. It's nothing we can't replace, I'm sure. Are you okay?"

"I'm pregnant," Peggy blurted out.

"What?"

"I think I'm pregnant." She wiped her tears away. "That would explain why I've been feeling sick and vomiting like mad."

"Jesus! Peggy," Howard mused. "You're pregnant!" He smiled real big.

"I know!" She smiled too, crying.

Howard started to cry, too.

"Everything is going to be all right, doll! Don't you worry! Once all of this blows over, Maria and I are going to take care of you. We're going to get married and then live in Italy, and you can live with us. You and your baby. We'll take care of you, I promise."

"Howard.."

"I know, it isn't going to be easy. But even if we have to completely scratch S.H.I.E.L.D., it's going to be all right. I will take care of you."

They cried together and Peggy rested her forehead against the glass. Howard kissed it.

"I love you, Peg."

"I love you, too," she cried.

"I have to go, but I'm gonna be right back for you, okay? I promise!" He touched the glass one more time, and turned around and ran.

"Howard.." Peggy whispered, closing her eyes.

That was the last time she'd ever see him.


	12. When Trumpets Fade

Peggy stopped crying and looked up at Steve.

"I think we should go home," she said.

"Home?"

"To Sarah," she said. "The babysitter is watching her, but I'm supposed to be home at 10. Sarah goes to bed at 9."

Steve turned and looked at the digital clock on the oven. Peggy looked with him.

"If we go now, we'll get to say good night," she said.

"I would like that," he said, his eyes teary.

Peggy nodded to keep from crying.

* * *

The babysitter, Emma she introduced herself to Steve as, was waiting by the door when they arrived. Peggy handed her a ten dollar bill and thanked her.

"Ten dollars? Don't you think that's a little..?"

"Cheap?"

"I was going to say generous, but what you said works, too."

She smiled at him. "Come on," she whispered, peering into the hallway. "I think she just put her down."

Peggy creaked open the door to Sarah's room, and snuck inside. Steve closed the door quietly and Peggy motioned for him to join her on the side of Sarah's bed.

Sarah, long eyelashes, a button nose, and curly brown hair, was fast asleep. Steve looked at her, and he instantly fell in love.

He looked at Peggy, tears in his eyes again.

"She's ours?" he whispered.

Peggy nodded, a tear rolling down her cheek. "She's ours."

Sarah moved a little and Steve asked Peggy if it would be better if they just waited until morning. He didn't want to wake her.

"No," Peggy said. "I think she'll be willing to wake up."

Peggy scooted closer, and rubbed Sarah's ears. Sarah twitched, and her mouth curved into a little smile.

She had Peggy's lips and nose, and his chin.

"Sarah?" Peggy whispered. She nuzzled Sarah's cheek. Sarah flinched and smiled even bigger. "I know you're awake, dear girl."

Steve smiled.

Sarah yawned, and her eyes popped open.

"There we are!" Peggy whispered.

Sarah giggled, as Peggy smoothed her hair back. She kissed her on the cheek.

"Did you miss me?"

"Always, Mama."

 _God, she sounds just like Peggy._

"Did you and Emma have a good time?"

"Yes, we did. She read me a few stories, and we ate those little fairy cakes you made, and then we..we.."

Sarah's focus had shifted to the man sitting on the other side of her bed. Her big, blue eyes widened. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

Peggy looked at Steve and then Sarah.

"Do you know who this is, Sarah?" Peggy asked.

Sarah frowned. She looked at Peggy, and started to cry.

"You didn't tell me he was coming back!" she cried.

Steve started to cry.

Peggy gestured for Steve to come closer, and Sarah grabbed him in a hug as soon as he moved. Peggy touched her heart.

Steve kissed Sarah's tear-stained hair and whispered, "I have always loved you, and I always will."

Peggy started to cry, and Sarah and Steve pulled her into the hug.

* * *

That night, after they had gotten Sarah to go to bed, Peggy invited Steve to sleep in her bed.

He didn't decline.

They just laid there in silence, after having wiped their tears and blown their noses. Peggy turned and looked at Steve, who had already been looking at her.

"What?" she said.

"I love you," he whispered. "I'm sorry for the things I've said to you. And I hope you can forgive me."

"I love you, too." She grinned. "And of course I can forgive you."

Steve blinked, like he was about to fall asleep.

"If you can forgive me."

"You bet."

"Thank you."

He opened his eyes. "Peggy?"

"Yes?"

"Do you still have the ring I got you?"

She turned and opened the drawer to her bedside table. She moved closer to him, and produced the ring.

"Would you put it back on?"

She did so.

"Now what?" she asked.

"I think we should get married."

She smiled. "For real this time?"

"Yes," he said.

"All right."

"All right?"

"Yeah."

She snuggled into him, and he wrapped his arms around her.

" _My best girl_ ," he whispered, kissing her forehead.


End file.
